Choosing the correct boat propellers

Deep Blue Yacht Supply is your one stop shop for the lowest priced boat propellers in the World.  You will find the lowest prices on all types of boat props including; outboard props, inboard propellers, ski wake boat props, and stern drive boat propellers.  

One thing that each and every boat needs (even if its a sailboat) is a good boat propeller. Boat propellers serve to move your boat through the water, however not all boat propellers are the same. In fact there are many different variables that can effect your boats performance when choosing a propeller. The primary factors to consider are the number of blades the propeller has, the diameter of the propeller and the pitch of the propeller. Other factors to keep in mind are the material the propeller is made from, whether the blades are cupped, how much rake is there to the blades and how well are the blades ventilated. One other factor that plays a role in choosing boat propellers is the type of engine your boat has. Below is a bit of information to help you choose a boat propeller based on your engine type or boat usage.

Outboard Propellers - Outboard propellers are those used on outboard motors. Typically these boat propellers are the 3 or 4 bladed variety as these provide the best performance for the size and class of boat that uses an outboard motor. Outboard propellers can be made from a variety of materials, but aluminum and stainless steel are the most common. As with any boat propellers the proper outboard propeller is determined by a combination of diameter and pitch that will allow the boats engine to operate at the manufacturers recommended RPM's when at wide open throttle (WOT).

Inboard Propellers - Inboard propellers are those installed on an inboard motor. There is nothing different in the design or requirements with this type of boat propeller with one exception. When choosing a diameter for your inboard propeller you must be sure that it leaves adequate clearance with the bottom of the hull. A general rule of thumb for this is that the clearance should be equal to 20% of the diameter of the propeller. So a propeller with a diameter of 20 inches should have at least 4 inches clearance. If this become a problem a propeller that is 1-2 inches smaller can be used with a corresponding increase in pitch to maintain engine efficiency.

Stern drive propellers - Stern drive propellers are widely regarded as one of the greatest improvements in the recent history of boating. Stern drive boat propellers give several advantages over inboard and outboard props. First of all a stern drive prop is able to be trimmed with controls at your fingertips. This can result in better fuel efficiency, safer shallow water boating and better handling in rough waters. Stern drives have the rudder built in providing much better control, especially when docking. The major downside of stern drives is the high cost of maintenance due to the fact the often the engine must be removed to work on parts that are in a space that is too small to access.

Ski Propellers - When choosing ski boat propellers some of your decisions have been made for you based on the type of boating you will be doing. For example, you will want a lower pitch to increase your hole shot speed and get the skiers up out of the water as quickly as possible. You will also want to choose a stainless steel propeller if you have an outboard or stern drive boat because of its greater strength and limited flex. If you have an inboard engine then a Nibral (Nickel, Bronze, Aluminum) blade may be better. You are also more likely to chose a 4 bladed boat propeller (or even 5 blades) to decrease the time it takes to get your boat planing. These choices will limit your speed somewhat, but for water skiing hole shot speed and quick planing are much more important.

Volvo Duo propellers - The Volvo Duo propellers revolutionized propellers when it was introduced in 1982. These revolutionary boat propellers provide boaters with increased bite in the water, faster acceleration combined with better fuel efficiency, less vibration and noise, quicker planing and improved maneuverability. Designed as two counter rotating blades with the end result being the engines power is directed at driving the boat forward rather than sideways due to lateral forces that can act on conventional single propeller stern drives. The Volvo Duo propellers are available in a wide variety of sizes and materials depending on your needs.